


Found Family

by Ultimatum



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Eating Disorders, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Illustrated, M/M, Multi, PTSD, dad and mom friends, eventual adoption, killua & gon r in gymnastics, trans leorio
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-07-28 23:35:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7661575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultimatum/pseuds/Ultimatum
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yes, Kurapika tended to worry, but in his defense, Gon and Killua were very easy to worry about. At least Leorio shared his concern too-- his hunch that something wasn't right.</p><p>Or maybe he was just getting attached. Maybe both of them were.</p><p> </p><p>(Alternately titled: "What starts as a tutoring job for Kurapika turns into something much deeper for everyone involved")</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ch. 1-- New Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello this is my new Hell Fic i hope u enjoy  
> pls mind the tags, as those will be reoccurring and large parts of the plot, pls do not read what may make u relapse/feel bad/etcetc.
> 
> and bc i have a lot of Songs i think fit the hxh characters, i will b posting one or a few in the beginning of the chapters for ur listening pleasure. lmao
> 
>  
> 
> kurapika: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiqOsKngc-c&list=PL4YHdqa7eRSgMIxNkm1aYKNC_ogvdhiz7&index=2  
> (Please Please Please let me get what i want - the smiths)
> 
> killua: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7N-0I8Y1rk&list=PL4YHdqa7eRSi_JnC-OKAGn_dlrF8kswtq&index=5  
> (better son or daughter- rilo kiley)
> 
> welllll- enjoy 8^)
> 
> some info if u want it:
> 
> leorio is 25, kurapika is 22, killua and gon are 16 and in 10th grade. leorio's mysterious "condition" will b explained further later, as will many other things  
> they live in LA bc i dont know how to write anywhere else as a dirty cali rat

"GON FREECSS!"

The shrill yell had only succeeded in making the boy laugh and run faster, box of frogs in his hands and Killua at his heels. 

Killua gave him a look, one that told Gon that he was amused, somewhat, but still annoyed. Probably because they would be saddled with detention for this stunt. Again. Gon gave him a look back, one that said 'if you don't want to get in trouble, don't follow me, then.'

Killua's eyes reflected back the answer immediately: 'as if I'd leave you to be an idiot without me.' 

Their biology teacher gave up on running after them once they reached the front of the school, opting to return to the class and wait for them before giving them their punishment. They were always causing trouble, after all, but they always came back at the end of the day prepared for the repercussions. 

Gon and Killua, however, didn't stop running until they reached the park, Killua's hands rested easily in his sweater pockets and Gon's arms around the box.

"Killua, where should we let them go?" 

It was a cold day, and spring was fresh in the air. The box jumped around a bit in Gon's hands as the frogs inside bounced around, and he tightened his arms around it protectively, fearing that they'd escape before he could get them somewhere safe. A wide smile was still stretched on his face, even as his knees shook a bit from the slight wind.

Killua sighed, knowing Gon had just taken the frogs from class without even really thinking about what he'd do with them after. "Find a pond or something? I don't know." A part of Killua wanted to ask why he'd stolen the animals they were going to dissect, but deep down, he knew that it was just Gon's personal mix of impulsiveness and morality. It was just how he was, Killua reasoned. There was no point in trying to change his mind now. Not after he'd made it up, at least. 

Gon nodded earnestly and ran off in search of some water, already knowing that Killua would follow him without needing to look back.

\--

They had detention again, though neither were surprised. Gon and Killua often got into trouble, after all, and after a while, the novelty of detention wore off and faded. Killua didn't really even care anymore, and neither did Gon. 

Usually, Gon was the one who instigated the wilder stuff. Climbing the buildings, hanging upside-down by the ledge of the roof, releasing animals from the labs, and being too energetic in class; Gon didn't see much of an issue with what he did. To him, it didn't really matter as long as no one he cared about was getting hurt, and Gon failed to see anyone getting hurt by his actions, so he continued. The only people who seemed to care about what he did were the teachers, but he had long since grown out of caring about that. 

He was just having fun as far as he was concerned.

Killua, on the other hand, just followed Gon around despite circumstance or situation. Teachers would liken him to a lost puppy, looking for attention even if it got him in trouble.

But Killua didn't mind having to follow Gon around while he did stupid stuff. It was entertaining, and it definitely beat doing his school work. In the end, it was the teachers' fault that they were always getting into trouble, he rationalized. Gon was so hyper because they didn't give him enough break time. Killua knew that if teachers just let him run a lap or two around the school every once in a while, he'd be passing all his classes. At the end of the day, their teachers were just too stupid to realize it, and Killua felt a surge of personal pride knowing that he knew Gon better than any dumb adult did.

That was another thing that irked Killua, he thought as he leaned back in his chair and stared at the back of his friend's head. Gon wasn't actually stupid like people assumed. But their teachers kept _lecturing_ him like he was, and it made Killua a little pissed off. He popped a mint into his mouth and kicked his feet up on the chair in front of him, watching as their biology teacher purposelessly chewed Gon out.

As if he'd stop getting into trouble just because some dude told him to.

After a while, a knock interrupted their teacher's scolding, and he was forced to detach from Gon in order to talk with the newcomer to the classroom. Killua broke his stare at the back of Gon's head to look at who had come in, grateful that the man had stopped _talking_ , and was only mildly surprised that it was Wing who had come, their religion and philosophy teacher. 

Gon partially pushed himself up in his desk and waved to him, a surge of energy practically making him vibrate in his seat. "Mr. Wing!"

Wing smiled at Gon and Killua, though a part of him was upset that they had gotten into trouble (again). They made his job a lot harder than it had to be, that was for sure. 

Wing turned back to the frazzled man, sympathetic. "I'm sorry for interrupting their detention," he began, taking off his glasses to wipe the smudges that had gathered off on his shirt, "but I have to take Gon and Killua to my classroom right now."

"What?" the teacher asked, puzzled and irritated. "Whatever would you need to talk to them about right now?"

"It's about their grades." 

It was mostly the truth, after all. Gon was nearly failing a good chunk of his classes, and Wing had planned on breaching the topic of getting a tutor with him before it was too late. Granted, Killua's grades were fine, though lackluster compared to his intellect, but Wing figured that Killua would be grateful if he was included in their departure. If he had learned one thing about Killua in their year together, it would have to be his (probably) unhealthy attachment to Gon. Wherever one went, the other was bound to follow. 

"Can't that wait?" 

"No. I need to take Gon and Killua so we can talk about a course of action before the year comes to a close."

"And that can't be done here? Is it really so important to take them before their detention is done?"

"Yes. They can serve the rest of the time with me, but we should probably get going. Killua, Gon." At his words, Gon hopped from his seat, followed by Killua, who tried to act as nonchalant as possible with the whole ordeal, but still seemed relieved to be getting out of the classroom. Wing watched them exit through the door with a bit of fondness and frustration. Would these boys ever stop causing trouble? Probably not. He feared life would get a bit too boring then.

Once they were in the hallway, Killua turned to Wing, as if he had just caught him in his lie. "Why do you need to see me? You mentioned grades, but Gon is the one in danger of failing." Gon sheepishly rubbed his neck and sighed a laugh at the mention of his grades, and they started walking down the hall.

Wing smiled down at them. "You're correct. Gon is the only one I need to speak with, but I thought you'd appreciate being taken out of detention."

Killua turned his head away from Wing, as he tended to do when he got flustered or was shown kindness he did not expect. "Jeez. Thanks, teach." 

Wing, used to the casual way Killua addressed him, simply ploughed. on "Anyway, would you two be more cautious? One day, you're going to get expelled. And who'll stay to loiter in my room if that happens?"

"Zushi would," Gon replied instantly and with no doubt in his voice. Wing laughed at his quick answer as he opened the door to his classroom.

"Ah well. I suppose."

They made themselves comfortable on the small couch Wing kept in the back and waited as he went to grab some papers off of his desk. Killua stared at Gon, who was fiddling with a slinky, and flushed with embarrassment when the latter caught him. Gon just smiled, and went back to tossing the slinky between his hands, the _shliiiink, shliiiiiink_ of it the only sound between them. 

Eventually, Wing managed to gather what he needed from his mess of a work space and approached them. "Gon, I know you're aware that you're nearly failing several classes." Gon nodded, earnestly looking at Wing as he spoke. "And you know that I care very much about your success this school year, yes?" Gon nodded again. Wing squatted down so he could hand the papers over and pushed his glasses back up as they started to slip down his nose. He waited for Gon to scan it.

Gon's head tilted as we flipped through the papers. "A request form for a... Tutor?"

Killua pushed himself off his elbows, giving Gon and Wing his full attention as soon as he heard what was said. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, and Wing scrambled to give more detail.

"I've already confirmed with him, and he said he was willing to. He's fresh out of teacher school, and he's coming to be my assistant next year, so I thought it'd be proactive to get started with this now."

Gon's eyebrows scrunched up as he stared hard at the paper. "But Mr. Wing, I don't think me and Aunt Mito have enough money for a tutor--"

"He'll be working strictly for experience, free of charge," he cut Gon off, waving his hand in the air. "And he'll be stationed in my room, so really, it's just the most convenient for everyone involved."

Killua, on the other hand, brooded, crossing his arms and leaning back into the couch. "What makes this guy so special, then? It's not like Gon is suddenly going to start paying attention and doing stuff just 'cuz he has a tutor. I bet he's just a stiff, like all the other teachers in this damn school."

Gon continued to stare at the paper.

"Well, Gon is doing quite well in my class because I realize that he has more needs than most, and I've already informed him about Gon's unique learning style, so--"

"It's not going to work," Killua shot back, not sure why he was so against the idea of Gon having a tutor. "It's just going to be a waste of time for all of us."

Wing looked as if he had a rebuttal, but Gon hummed and they both turned to look at him. He seemed like he hadn't even been listening to their bickering, and he contemplatively hummed again, handing the papers back to his teacher. "I think it's a good idea!"

"You... Do?" Killua asked, trailing off, eyebrows drawn in confusion. Gon just nodded, another smile breaking its way onto his face.

"Yeah! It sounds like fun. Mr. Wing, when are we gonna get to meet him?" 

Wing, relieved, stood to put the application back on his desk to be finished later. "Well, next week, if that's alright. I just need time to schedule it with him, and it'll be all set. We'll discuss the times and dates after the first scheduling, but it's safe to assume that he'll be tutoring you in my room after school hours. Is that alright?"

Gon nodded again, while Killua just groaned and put his head in his hands. "Ugh! Now we have to stay in this shithole even after school ends?"

"I'm sure it'll be fun, Killua!"

"Yeah. 'Fun'."

Wing watched them gripe back and forth to each other and smiled to himself, rearranging the mess on his desk. Yes, he really hoped things would work out for those boys. Gon had so much potential, he knew it just took a special type of person to see it. And even though he'd only known Kurapika for a short while, Wing knew that he'd appreciate Gon just as much as everyone else who cared for him did.

\--

Kurapika stretched his arms and legs out as soon as he woke up, his ankles knocking into Leorio's. It had been miraculous that he'd gotten as much sleep as he had, or any at all for that matter, as he was subject to regular bouts of insomnia that plagued him and his sleep schedule more often than not. Leorio moved a bit in his sleep but otherwise did not wake up, and Kurapika forced the stiffness from his bones before straightening himself. 

He checked the clock, hoping that it wasn't obscenely early, and sighed, disappointed. It was only 4 in the morning, but he had managed to get a few hours, so he counted that as a personal victory. His under-eye bags were getting a bit too dark and edgy for his tastes. 

He slowly stepped from the bed, as to not wake up Leorio, and mumbled under his breath, contemplating on perhaps spending the rest of his morning making breakfast or drinking some of his favorite brew of tea, but before he made it to the door, Kurapika heard a rustle behind him and turned on his heels.

"K'rpika," Leorio had sat himself up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he glanced over to Kurapika, though he couldn't be sure of where he was looking, exactly, without his glasses. "Everything okay?"

"Don't be silly," the other responded with a short and withdrawn sigh. "Really, Leorio, you should go back to sleep."

"No, no." He reached over to the nightstand and slipped on his glasses. "I'm wide awake now, no helping that." He ran a hand through knotted hair and yawned. "So, what's that I heard about breakfast?"

With an annoyed huff, Kurapika turned away and crossed his arms over his chest, half speaking to Leorio, half mumbling to himself. "Make your own, you lazy man. Really, expecting me to do everything for you." 

"What?" Leorio whined, slipping out of bed and grabbing the cane he needed from beside the dresser. "You're so mean to me." 

"Pouting is unbecoming of an adult, Leorio _dear_. And I've made up my mind. Make your own breakfast or you'll get none at all."

Leorio followed Kurapika into their cramped kitchen and quickly made himself comfortable at their table, leaning the cane against the legs of his chair. In the mornings, his knees were usually too weak to support him because of his condition, so a cane, sometimes even a wheelchair, was helpful when he was first moving around after sleeping. After all, he had to conserve his energy for his internship hours at the hospital. Otherwise, he was sure he'd probably just collapse. 

Leorio watched Kurapika fondly as he bustled around the kitchen. The way his shirt (Leorio knew it used to be his) made Kurapika look like he was drowning in fabric, the way his hair looked wavy in the morning, and the fluid way he moved as he began to cook-- all of it was enticing, calming, cathartic. Kurapika wasn't good at cooking and often burned their food, but Leorio liked to watch him work, knew that it helped Kurapika clear his mind when he woke up this early. And he often _needed_ to clear it.

Despite his tough talk, Kurapika slid a plate of eggs and potatoes to Leorio, who smiled at him warmly. 

"Really," Kurapika said, exasperated. "You should be sleeping. I know how exhausted you get during school and during work. It's just plain stupid for you to keep yourself up for me when you're already killing yourself."

"You're the one being plain stupid," Leorio accused, pointing his fork at Kurapika. Really! The nerve this guy had, acting like only Leorio suffered out of the two of them. "There's no meat this morning. That's proof enough that you're not okay."

"Am I that transparent?" Kurapika sighed defeatedly, like he'd been caught in his lie (like he'd even been able to pull it off at all), and sat down at the table across from Leorio.

"No. But I've known you for years, and you never eat meat after a bad night. Really, you're not as slick as you think you are."

Kurapika usually didn't speak of the nightmares that kept him awake at night, and Leorio knew better than to ask, but he wasn't an idiot, and he knew Kurapika better than most did.

"Slick? I think I'm slick?"

Leorio laughed softly and put his hand out on the table: an invitation. Kurapika looked at it for a few seconds, cracked a nervous smile, and reached out to give it a quick squeeze before he pulled away. A way of saying 'I'll be fine, don't worry about me' that both new well and with great familiarity, as they often found themselves in this situation.

"Anyway," Leorio began, "Your tutoring gig starts today, yeah?"

"Yes."

"Well," Leorio stuffed more food in his mouth and continued to talk, even as he chewed. Kurapika made a slight grimace at his behavior, but said nothing of it. "Tell me how it goes."

"Of course." Kurapika stood to wash his plate off and toed over to the sink. There was a beat of silence between them before he exerted confidently: "Though I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Yes, I'm sure."

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=21jyv11)

The room began to fill with the soft blue light of morning, and Leorio and Kurapika fell into another calm silence. Kurapika began to brew himself a cup of tea, and he set aside some coffee to get started for Leorio. "You're going to get an ulcer if you keep drinking coffee on top of all of the stress you have," he lectured. He looked exhausted, though he often did, and it made Leorio ache in a way he couldn't describe. Kurapika attempted a small smile, but it looked tired and forced. 

"Yeah, yeah." Leorio feigned annoyance, though he smiled back with enough enthusiasm for the both of them. "You're just a huge hypocrite."

"I guess you're right. But you'll still die before 30, though." Kurapika turned to him. "And I'm not paying for your funeral."

Leorio laughed, feeling so _lucky_ to be with this man that he thought he could burst, and accepted the fresh cup of medium roast Kurapika offered him. "I wouldn't expect you to. We are broke college kids, after all."

They sat together until the sun came up, and Leorio figured that Kurapika must've been even more tired than he looked. After all, he let Leorio lace their fingers together on top of the table without a single protest. "Your hand are clammy," Kurapika complained. Leorio said nothing, and they slipped into a comfortable silence once more. 

\--

Killua eyed Gon's tutor suspiciously from his place on Wing's couch, pretending not to pay them any mind. The man was soft and poised and dressed like a walking trainwreck, but Killua thought it suited him, in a weird way. He wore a soft pink sweater underneath a dorky sweater-vest, and his skirt went down to the tops of his shoes, a dark blue. Killua kind of wanted to judge him, but he kept his initial rudeness to himself, too focused on watching Gon rush him.

As soon as he stepped into the room, Gon pounced on him excitedly. All week, he'd been waiting to meet this mysterious 'Kurapika', and finally, it was happening. He quickly fired off with an introduction: "Hi, I'm Gon! Thank you for being my tutor, Mr. Kurapika!" He held out his arm for a handshake, and Kurapika stared at it for a moment before reaching out to meet it without any hesitance.

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=156zse8)

"Ah... Kurapika is fine, no Mr. necessary," Kurapika took the moment they took to shake hands looking the boy- Gon- up and down himself. 

He was extremely messy, with his shirt sporting several holes and his cargo shorts stained with green at the knees, the only part of him untouched by the outdoors seemed to be his boots, which were scuffed and well worn, but clean. 

Kurapika then looked beyond after they had moved farther into the classroom and saw another kid beyond Gon, one with white hair and a much more put-together appearance. He wore a baggy hoodie and some skinny jeans, and as soon as Kurapika noticed him, Killua looked away, seemingly ashamed at being caught staring. Kurapika thought nothing of it, though, because the staring didn't bother him. The boy just looked too shy to introduce himself anyway.

"Kurapika, this is Killua, he's my best friend in the whole world." Gon bounced on his feet as he motioned to Killua, the boy on the couch, who merely lifted a hand and waved at him slightly. Kurapika smiled gently at the two in response.

"Nice to meet you both. Gon, are you ready to start?"

They sat down at a nearby set of tables and laid out some papers, and while Gon and Kurapika began to work through algebra 2, Killua got off the couch to do some push-ups. Wing, on the other hand, was snoring softly from his desk, where a piles of papers had accumulated and covered its entire surface. Kurapika shot Killua a confused glance, but Gon just assured him that he was training for gymnastics, since they'd usually practice right after school.

 _Yeah, and that old lady's probably going to kill us when we get to practice_ , Killua thought to himself, switching to a rep of sit-ups. Gon shared the same thought; they both knew that Bisky, their coach, would probably make them work harder once they got to practice, but that was alright to them. Gon lost himself in Kurapika's explanation of logs and Killua merely switched between pushups, situps, and planks as the hour progressed. Every fifteen or so minutes, Gon was allowed to either do a few reps or run around the halls. He returned looking refreshed, and was eager to attempt more and more.

Killua was a bit surprised. He knew Gon wasn't nearly as much of an airhead as everyone assumed he was, but it was still odd to see him devote himself to so much learning in a single afternoon. He almost swore he heard Wing whispering in the back of his mind: _You could probably learn from Gon's example_. Killua wanted to barf-- as if he'd put effort into shit he didn't even care about. He did well enough on tests, and that was fine with him. Homework was just boring and a waste of his time.

Before either of them knew it, the hour had passed, and Kurapika began to gather all of his stuff so he could part from them for the day. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, Gon."

"Thank you Kurapika!" Gon waved, but Killua didn't bother to look at the man. He just stood, stretched out his tired body, and shoved his hands in his pockets while his friend did enough talking for the both of them.

Kurapika cracked another small smile, and bid leave quietly. Gon's smile was wide and infection as he picked up his backpack, and just looking at him made Killua's lips twitch into a grin.

"Man, I still don't know why you accepted a tutor," Killua whined, picking up his backpack off the floor as well. "Coach is going to be _all over_ our asses."

"You know I already told her about Gon's sessions," Wing pointed out as he began to rouse himself from his nap. "She cares about more than just your physical fitness, you know."

Killua grumbled to himself about 'extra work' and 'annoying hags', but Gon just nodded, content. "It's fun to try new things, Killua." He let out a nervous laugh. "Plus... Aunt Mito would probably disown me if I started failing my classes."

"As if, she loves you too much." Killua left the classroom ahead of Gon, eager to get to practice despite his complaining, and Gon bounded to his side after saying goodbye to Wing, wishing him a 'happy day and good night.' Wing heard them bickering until they reached the end of the hall; once they were out of ear-shot, he stood and stretched.

Wing then sighed, realizing that he should probably start to tidy up his work space before it got too disorderly.

 _Those boys really are too much_.

\--

Kurapika didn't know what to think of those boys. Well, he knew that he was somewhat charmed by Gon's charismatic personality (he reminded him of a calmer and more pleasant Leorio) but he didn't quite know what to think about Killua. 

Well, Kuapika supposed he didn't mind him. As the weeks passed, he realized that wherever Gon was, Killua seemed to follow. But it wasn't a hassle or anything, so he let them be. Killua didn't cause any trouble, he mostly seemed content doing mundane exercises in the corner. Warm-ups, Gon had called them. Though he couldn't help but question what he was warming up for. The boys said they were in gymnastics, but they worked harder for that then they ever had for school.

If anything, Kurapika just saw Killua as an enigma, and one he wasn't particularly interested in at that. 

Regardless, he began to find himself looking forward to tutoring. Gon was a bright boy when you looked past his inattentive nature, and he learned quickly once he set his mind to a task. It was interesting to teach him and watch him grow (and his grades finally rise). So, it was baffling to Kurapika how no teachers had allowed him time to burn off his energy. It was no wonder he had such a hard time in class, they never gave him a chance to work while he was at his best! Ridiculous.

Leorio, on the other hand, was starting to suspect that Kurapika had gone crazy in the span of less than a month. When Leorio got home from classes or from his internship, he'd come home to a home smelling like sweet incense, and Kurapika would be cooking in the kitchen with jazz playing on his old phonograph. The entire atmosphere felt different, and he was sure that he'd walked straight in the twilight zone. Hell, Kurapika tried to act like everything was the same, but he was smiling more than he had in years. 

Kurapika insisted than nothing had changed with him, but he knew that wasn't true. 

(Despite acting like he was unaffected, Leorio knew that boy, Gon, must've been pretty special to get such a reaction from him)

"And you know what he did when I asked him how his day was?" Kurapika's voice betrayed his indifference, as he sounded genuinely amused. "He started telling me about everything he had done today, from what he had for breakfast to the snail he saw on his porch this morning."

"You seem to really like this kid."

Kurapika cleared his throat, letting his voice fall back to its usual and more subdued tone. "Well yes, of course. It's only professional to treat kids with respect and kindness. Especially if you're working with them." 

"Of course," Leorio said, jokingly making fun of him. It was just like Kurapika to pretend he didn't care about others, after all. And if he pointed it out, Leorio knew he'd probably just be starting a needless fight.

They sat at their tiny table, and began to eat the dinner Leorio had insisted on cooking for the both of them. It was nothing fancy, they couldn't afford fancy, but Kurapika had lit one of his 'essential oil' candles, and it burned between them, even though the sun was still out. 

"By the way, Gon's coming over this Saturday to take a practice SAT exam,"Kurapika had switched to his 'conversational' tone of voice, the one he used when he wanted to be matter-of-fact, and took a sip from his cup.

However, Leorio couldn't help but choke in surprise. "And you're... Okay with that?"

"He was insistent," Kurapika defended, "and it isn't like he's moving in with us or anything, it's just for a day."

"No, I don't have a problem with it, I just--" Leorio rubbed his temples and sighed. "Who are you and what have you done with Kurapika?"

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"You hate guests!" Leorio pointed out, as if it was obvious and Kurapika was missing a vital fact about his personality. "I'm just a bit startled, is all. Sue me."

"Like I said, it's only for a day." Kurapika crossed his arms over his chest, and continued, businesslike. "Besides, I find Gon to be an interesting kid."

Leorio dropped the topic and started to eat again. While he tended to shovel food into his mouth, Kurapika was much more delicate and clean while he ate. Every few minutes, Kurapika would chide him for being a mess, but Leorio never really minded, since he teased Kurapika just as much for being such a 'prig'. 

Between them, the candle kept burning, and the sun began to set far past their little apartment. To them, this was home. To them, this was a place untouched by the stress of their daily lives. After they had finished dinner, Leorio grabbed his cane and walked to their room to study. Kurapika promised to clean the dishes after a hot shower, so he slipped past him in order to reach the bathroom. 

Both continued with their nightly routine, neither paying mind to the habitualness and repetition of their lives. There was no way to know how irrevocably their lives would soon change. 

\--

On Saturday, the doorbell rang at exactly noon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yea ok i always hate starting new stories bc theres so much Establishing that needs to happen before it gets to the GOOD STUFF but yea thank u fr reading the hell fic and if you liked it/didnt comment or smthn to motivate me lmao
> 
> thnx <3


	2. Ch. 2--

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killua: suffers  
> Everyone else: sorta worries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, hope u enjoy this chapter and thank u fr reading & for the kind comments, they make me actually Get off my ass and motivate myself.
> 
> now for Songs tm  
> leorio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZtcz4WVBGg&list=PL4YHdqa7eRSjSP0e0W-6k0RDLOz5LpP4W&index=1 (I believe in a thing called love)
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oevKRDCk2JE&index=4&list=PL4YHdqa7eRSi_JnC-OKAGn_dlrF8kswtq (born ruffians - cherry wine)
> 
> srry i just love to push my music tastes on people lmm ao

Leorio loved watching Kurapika work.

Maybe he was creepy for watching, and maybe Kurapika would have a word or two to say to him later about it, but he couldn't help it! As much as Kurapika denied it, he was _good_ with kids, that much was apparent in the way Gon seemed to look up to him while they talked. 

Leorio observed from his side of the room as Gon bubbled in answers. Kurapika was on the other side, also looking on at what Gon was doing. It wasn't the most interesting, but the reflective quiet was calming and soothed the worries Leorio was seeking to ignore (all their rent was due soon, they needed more groceries, etc.). 

By the time Gon had finished the practice test, Leorio was nearly asleep. He was jolted awake by the former as he jumped from his seat and exclaimed: "DONE!" in a loud and excited manner.

Leorio wheezed, and Kurapika seemed unaffected, only reacting by smiling at him. "Well, I'm surprised. That's the longest you've gone without a break while working. Good job."

Gon smiled, and Kurapika began to leaf through the answer pages with intense concentration. Well. Leorio definitely could see why Kurapika was interested in this kid, he thought, pausing as he watched Gon stretch on the floor and walk around their living-room, giving everything interested glance-overs. He stopped in front of a portrait that Leorio had bought (but remained empty) and ran his fingers over the details on the border. 

Gon also read over some of the book spines kept in the bookshelves, occasionally taking a novel out to peek through. Eventually, Kurapika set down the papers in his hands with a satisfied look on his face. "You've made a huge improvement in the past few weeks, Gon."

"Really?!" A bright smile broke out on his face, and his eyes lit up in excitement. (Leorio couldn't help but find it endearing.)

"You'll do fine once the actual SAT comes around, for certain." Kurapika's demeanor showed how proud he was, and he jokingly commented that Gon may not even need him as a tutor if he kept this up.

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=ye8oo)

 

Gon just laughed good-naturedly and Leorio stood, promising to make lunch for them while they worked.

In the kitchen, he laid out some bread for a few sandwiches and listened in on the conversation from the other room out of curiosity that he couldn't seem to curb. He was sure that their apartment hadn't been this lively since they'd started renting it, so it was hard to filter out the noise, even if he'd wanted to, he'd probably still be reluctant to.

He heard some rustling, some moving around, and eventually, they settled. Gon began talking about his day while Kurapika wrote something down, and other than his occasional hums to show that he was listening, he said nothing in response.

"Oh!" Gon started excitedly. "Just the other day I was talking to my friend Knuckle, though you probably wouldn't like Knuckle, he's pretty loud, but I was talking to him and he said his dogs didn't like Killua so you know what Killua did?"

"Wait." Kurapika cut into Gon's story and the scribbling noise of him writing stopped suddenly. "Where _is_ Killua? He's usually glued to you by the hip. It's a bit odd to see you without him."

"He said he was busy today," Gon replied. He said nothing after that, and neither did Kurapika, who was just then realizing how odd it was for Killua to be absent and was finding it a bit jarring. For some reason, their silence made Leorio nervous. 

Gon didn't bother finishing his story.

\---

"Why did you ask to see me?" 

Killua stood at the doorway to his parents' room, not daring to step past the threshold between them. It was like another world to him, his parents' room. The walls were dark and imposing,, as was the rest of the space beyond the door. His father's dog sat on the floor beside the bed, and his mother sat at her vanity, only bothering to look at Killua through his reflection in the mirror. From what he could see, her face was cold and steely. The room was oppressive and made him feel out of place, but he sucked it up and waited to be addressed, as he usually did when they summoned him. 

Silva, Killua's father, stood from the bed and took only a few steps to reach Killua. Like always, his father towered over him like an untouchable force. His face was kind, as it usually was, but his eyes were unforgiving, and they made him feel small, made his throat close in anxiety, with the tiniest urge to _run_ , though he decided that he was just being ridiculous. This was his dad, after all.

Killua had no reason to be afraid of his father. 

"Your grades have been slipping," Silva remarked with a voice deep enough to make Killua wonder if _he_ would ever grow to be this huge and monolithic. If he was his son, did that mean he would one day grow to be this terrifying? Silva placed a hand, large and bear-like, on his shoulder, and he felt like he was being weighted down by rocks. But instead, it was just his father, and he was just over reacting. As he tended to. Killua inwardly grimaced at his cowardice towards his family. (What had they ever done to him? They gave him money, clothed him, why was he so scared?)

Killua exhaled to calm himself, to force any emotion from his features, and nodded. 

There was a stretch of silence between them. Killua dared to look back to where his mother was sitting, and found Kikyo was still staring at him through the mirror, teeth clenching and unclenching as if she was seconds away from punching the mirror to pieces. Killua felt his stomach churn uncomfortably; for the past few weeks, he knew his grades had been declining, but he hadn't been half-assed enough to force himself to take tests and do in-class assignments. He never did homework in the first place, but he kept a steady B-C average with how well he did in class. But Killua knew that it was because he was... Finding himself more preocupied with something more important to him than stupid classwork.

He had been preparing for this talk the moment he noticed his grades slipping, and was ultimately ready to accept the consequences, but facing his parents for real was a whole deal all together. He waited, exhaled again, wrung his hands in his pockets, and looked away from Kikyo, fixing his gaze on the floor. Silva's hand was still firmly planted on his shoulder.

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=2u7ubl3)

"We're worried about you," Silva said, and the words broke Killua out of the cycle of fear he was falling into. He managed to look up and lock eyes with his father for the first time in a long while, and his breath caught in his throat. They were... Worried about him? "You know, if you need to talk to us, we will always listen."

Kikyo continued to grind her teeth by the vanity, though Killua found himself too conflicted to care.

"Yeah." Killua managed to scrape a confirmation from his throat. The words felt heavy. He felt heavy. When Silva finally removed his hand, Killua swore it was like he was floating in comparison. 

"Just try your very best, alright?" Silva gave him a smile, stepped back from Killua, and sat back on his bed. "We have high hopes for you, son."

Killua nodded, knowing that this was his signal to leave, and backed out from the doorway. "I understand, father. Mother."

Though unspoken, Killua felt the true meaning of those words as he began making his way back to his room. He felt burdened and disgusting the entire walk, as if he was wading through molasses.

_Don't fuck this up._

Killua grimaced. He thought of Gon. He thought of Alluka. He thought of Nanika. 

He thought about losing them. But he also thought about disappointing his parents. About upsetting Illumi.

His stomach flipped and he started to feel dizzy. Instead of thinking about it, he took a cold shower.

_Don't fuck this up_

Failure was not an option. Killua knew this as a fact.

_I won't_

\--

Leorio brought lunch out to the two in the living room with an eager smile. Now that Kurapika and Gon were done working, he was eager to learn more about the kid before he left. Kurapika hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said that Gon was a mess. Though it was endearing on some level, he really was worn and looked accustomed to the outdoors. What did this kid do, run through the forest every morning? Live in a tree? He sure looked the part.

"Thank you, Mr. Leorio!"

Leorio always felt a twinge of satisfaction when people called him that, even after how long it had been since he'd started passing in public. Regardless, it was still kind of weird to be called that; he was only in his 20's, after all. With a small blush, he waved his hand in dismissal. "Leorio is just fine."

Gon nodded earnestly and started to eat his sandwich, taking barely any time to chew in between bites. Leorio sat beside Kurapika and a part of him wished that he could reach out to grab his hand, but knew he wasn't one for PDA, so he allowed himself to be content just sitting beside him. While nothing particular was going on, Leorio thought he might as well start some conversation. "So, Gon. Do you know what you want to do after high school?" He then immediately mentally kicked himself for the stupid conversation topic. What high schooler wanted to think about their future?

Gon, however, seemed excited to answer the question. He set down his food and smiled at the two of them. "I want to be a wildlife biologist. Like my dad!"

"Ooh, that sounds interesting," Kurapika took a sip from his glass of water. "Is there any particular reason as to why you want to follow in his footsteps? Usually kids want to work in a field as far away from their parents' as possible."

"Yeah, I have a reason. He left when I was just a baby to go work abroad, so it must've been really great if he chose it over his own son. I want to see how cool it is for myself." Gon smiled again, but both Leorio and Kurapika felt a... Disconcerting ache towards his words. "I'm sure it's the best job in the world."

"I-I'm sure." Leorio coughed to cover up his stutter, and shot Kurapika a worried glance. He had questions-- why was this kid so flippant? It seemed like a serious topic, didn't it? Was he the only person finding this sort of weird? He searched Kuapika's face almost desperately to see if he was maybe overreacting, but all he saw was the same confusion on his partner's face; it almost relieved him. More than anything, however, Leorio felt some anger start to burn in his chest. He hated absentee fathers, and for the life of him, he just couldn't understand how some people could just leave their children. Their families.

He'd give anything to have his family back, and he knew Kurapika would too. It was a bitterness they both resented feeling, but felt all the same.

Gon didn't seem to pick up on their discomfort. Instead, he continued to eat, occasionally pausing to chatter on about the kind of work his dad did.

A part of Leorio wanted to ask questions, wanted to understand why Gon thought the way he did. Leorio decided that he finally understood Kurapika's fascination, if only a little bit. 

Before any of them knew it, the sun was setting and the three of them had migrated into the kitchen. They dragged in an extra chair for Gon, who was, surprisingly, good at conversation and fun to talk to, despite their age differences. 

Leorio and Kurapika talked at length about how much they hated high school, swapping stories with Gon about their experiences. The latter had learned that Kurapika and Leorio had actually gone to his current high school back when they were younger. 

"I even had Mr. Wing when I was your age," Kurapika mused. "Back then, I was quite antisocial and angsty. Some of my peers spread rumors that I was a satanist because I always wore chains on my hands. But really, it was just a fashion statement, really."

Leorio held back a laugh. Back then? He was still antisocial and angsty. But he knew that Kurapika would probably punch him if he said it aloud, so he held his hand to his mouth in order to stifle any noise. 

Gon was wholly absorbed in Kurapika's stories, 'ooo'ing and 'aaah'ing at all the right moments. After Kurapika described the time he'd been sent to the dean for threatening a student (who had threatened him first, Kurapika clarified) Gon suddenly startled, eyes locked on the time on the clock above the counter. "Oh! I have to go home." He quickly stood and ran to grab his papers, hustling towards the front door. They heard his voice from down the hall. "Thank you so much, Kurapika and Leorio. For the help and the food!"

Leorio grabbed his cane and hastily made his way after him. "Ah, wait-- Gon. One moment."

Gon, who was preoccupied with putting his shoes on by the door, looked over his shoulder at him.

"I- uh." Leorio suddenly felt a bit foolish, rushing after this boy without even knowing quite what he wanted to say. He knew the sentiment but words were never his strong point. He wasn't eloquent like Kurapika, he was just-- "I. You're welcome here anytime, Gon."

Gon smiled and bounced up from the floor. Edging towards the door, he nodded and grinned wider, slipping out of their apartment with a thank you and a promise to come back soon. Just like that, the apartment was quiet once more, and Leorio felt himself sigh, not knowing if he'd just made a mistake or not.

When he turned back to Kurapika, Leorio found that he was giving him a Look, one that told him 'yes, you have made a mistake, you fucking moron.' Leorio held his hands up in defense. "Sorry! I know you don't like guests, I know. He's just... I don't know. I just said that without even thinking."

Kurapika sighed then, too. "No, it's alright. I understand, he's hard to say no to."

Leorio sniggered. "I'll say. I've never seen you talk that much about yourself in one sitting." Which was true, in a sad sort of way. Kurapika rarely spoke of his own past, or his childhood. It tended to bring up bad memories for him, and Leorio respected that. So to him, it was odd to see one kid pull so much out of him in just a few hours.

"Don't get used to it."

"Of course, of course." Leorio joked back, stepping up to Kurapika in another invitation. The other eyed him for a moment, contemplatively, before stepping into his arms for a side-hug. It lasted a few more seconds before they parted.

"Thank you, I think I needed that."

"Just don't fly off the hinges on me," Leorio smiled and made his way to the kitchen again. "I'll make dinner tonight, okay? Just take it easy."

Kurapika conceded, grabbing a book from one of his many shelves before settling down on the couch.

Sometimes, he suspected that Leorio knew him better than he did.

\--

"Gon! Killua! Don't think I can't see you talking over there!" Bisky put her hands on her hips as she surveyed her students. Out of all of them, only those two _boys_ were talking in the back. Of course, when were they not? She put her hands on her hips and made her voice more authoritarian. "Give me another 100 pushups, you two! Everyone else, run a few laps around the gym and get started." 

Once everyone else had left, she made her way to the back where Gon and Killua were complaining back and forth about the work they were being 'forced' into doing. She felt some fondness, but also a bit of irritation, and stood over them. "Gon, don't let me hear a _word_ of complaint from you. Go straight to the high bars after you're done and start practicing. Killua, I'll need you to come with me to the floor. Your landings have been weak this past month and we don't have much time until the next meet to improve them."

She saw Killua tense after she finished speaking, though she said nothing of it our of respect for his pride (he was probably just touchy because of the trouble he was having with his routine, Bisky reasoned), and waited until they were done so she could lead Killua to practice his floor routine. She thought it was a bit... Odd that Killua was having trouble sticking his landings. A month ago, there was hardly any bouncing, and now, he could barely pull off any combination without accidentally falling or messing up. It was a bit worrisome, but Bisky convinced herself that if anything, Killua would tell her to stop pushing him if anything got too rough.

After all, Bisky knew that Killua had the ability to do well. He'd shown great aptitude in his event ever since he'd joined gym with her, so she couldn't figure out, for the life of her, why Killua was having trouble _now_. 

Biscuit Krueger had been coaching Killua and Gon since they had joined four years ago, had mentored them from the beginning and seen them blossom tremendously. Though she would sometimes deny it, she very well saw the boys as family, whether they knew so or not. Killua's seemingly sudden change made her uncomfortable, worried, angry. She just hoped that he would get out of this rut soon.

While she watched Killua go through his routine, another person stepped up beside her and she felt a disgusted grimace make its way on her face, not even having to look in order to recognize who it was. "Hisoka, isn't there anything else you're supposed to be doing right now? Like coaching?"

Hisoka, one of her team's trainers, was... Nice to look at, but not nice to talk to. Or be close to, for that matter. Bisky would rather that he stayed far away from her kids, but there was nothing much she could do. He was just a creep, and his weird fixation on Gon made her more adamant on keeping him the _hell_ away. He was playful and acted fairly innocent, but everyone knew that Hisoka was bad news. From the way he talked, the manner he presented himself with... It didn't take a genius to tell that he was up to something. 

"Hm. I could be. But I think it's much more fun watching Killu. He's been messing up an awful lot lately, has he?"

Bisky said nothing. She watched Killua bounce on his landing, clench his fists, and retry with anger tensing his body up.

"Loosen up, Killu!" Hisoka called over to him, and Killua stopped all together, frustration clear in the way he turned to them.

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=1112zvs)

"Shut up, you creep!"

"I think you should leave, Hisoka." Bisky knew that once Killua became too frustrated, he'd probably give up entirely, and they couldn't afford that at all right now. 

Hisoka shrugged. "All right. I'll just find my little tootsie pop, then. Ciao." He then walked away without giving them another glance, back turned. Bisky watched him walk away, pissed that he was so hot but so... Disgusting. At least he was gone, and neither of them had to look at him anymore. Him and his really, _really_ nice butt.

"And keep your nasty paws off Gon!" Killua yelled after him. He was angry; why was he having such a hard time now, of all times? He could see the disappointment on Bisky's face, the worry, and it made his insides twist uncomfortably. He needed to make this work, he had to. The meet was getting closer and closer and Gon was going to surpass him, _everyone_ was going to be better than him if he didn't get his act together. His entire body ached, his head hurt, but he couldn't stop until he did it right. So he tried again. And again. Once in a while, he'd go to get water, and once in a while, Bisky would give him pointers.

It was no use, though. He couldn't do it.

With an annoyed huff, he told Bisky that he needed a break and went to go check up on Gon. Hopefully, Hisoka wasn't harassing him again. That guy made him nervous.

He reminded him of his brother.

\--

Killua and Gon left once the sun went down, walking together as they always did. They didn't live far from each other, or far from their gym, so walking together just seemed like the obvious course of action and the most convenient one, at that. Gon tended to talk more than Killua, especially after practices, but Killua was fine with just listening. The sound of his best friend's voice was soothing, and with how frustrated with himself he was, he needed a bit of soothing.

"No, really!" Gon insisted. "You need to come and meet Leorio sometime, he's really cool."

"I still think it's fucking weird that your weird tutor invited you to his house. Stranger danger, much? No thanks." Killua couldn't help but feel a bit bitter that Gon was... Less available now. He was used to practically living with him, and the sudden change had him weary of Kurapika and Leorio. What if they didn't have Gon's best interest in mind like he did? What if they _hurt_ him? Killua inwardly grimaced as soon as the thought passes. He sounded a lot like his older brother, and it left him feeling nasty and slimy.

"Well... If it's 'stranger danger' you could always come with me to make sure it's safe. Like a buddy system!"

"Okay well, I'll think about it." Killua stopped to wave Gon off as he made it into his house and continued the few blocks to his own. Sure, Leorio and Kurapika could seem nice NOW, but how did Gon trust them so easily? Maybe he would have to go, to keep an eye on Gon. He sighed. Maybe he really was turning into Illumi or something.

The wind blew through Killua and he shivered, wrapping his arms around himself. He was just so frustrated. With Gon, himself, Hisoka, his family. Everything was happening too quickly.

He went up the stairs to their estate's gate and hopped over it, hoping that no one would be there to give him shit for being home so late. The wind blew once more, cold on his back, and he unlocked the front door with his spare key. As long as he showed no guilt, he should be fine, he reasoned. He had done nothing wrong, and practice ran late sometimes. It was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary.

When he saw Illumi waiting for him on the couch, he froze like a deer in headlights. His heart thudded in his chest and a cold sweat made his palms clammy. Why was he waiting up for him? What was wrong?

 _Fuck_.

Just when Killua planned to bolt out the door and run as fast as he could in the opposite direction, Illumi stood, and their sudden height difference made Killua feel like a little kid. His finger twitched, but he stayed still, too afraid of what might happen if he dared to leave. He couldn't, even if he tried. He was sure of it.

"Hey, Kil."

Despite his fantasy of escape, Illumi's soulless eyes pinned him to the spot, and he was helpless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope yall have a good day/night and thank u again <3
> 
> lmao sorry for the no background in the last pic, i jsut wanted to throw out my take on hiso and bisky in This Verse tbh!! me whispering: bisky............ is........... trans........ and i love her


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